Fruit-press



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

O. WEGMANN.

FRUIT PRESS. No. 504,545. Patented Sept. 5, 1893.

INVENTOH UNITED CONRAD WEGMANN, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

FRUIT-PRESS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 504,545, dated September 5, 1893.

Application filed November 26,1892. serial No. 453,267. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CONRAD WEGMANN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fruit-Presses, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in fruit-presses, in which a strong and reliable construction is combined with a very effective pressing of the juice from the fruit, and the invention consists of a fruit-press which comprises a supporting stand, a central stationary spindle, a press-floor supported by said stand and spindle, a press-cylinder which is composed of a numberof staves and semicircular bands or hoops attached to said staves, a follower which is raised or lowered by means of a screw-nut that engages the upper threaded end of the spindle, and that is retained in a box or casing on a top-plate of the follower, and sockets for the actuating presslever, one socket being connected by a dropkey directly with the screw-nut, while the second pivoted socket is connected by a pawl and ratchet-mechanism with the screw-nut, so as to subject the fruit to a second pressing ,after the main-portion of juice is expressed from the same by the primary pressure.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1, represents a side-elevation of my improved fruit-press. Fi .2,isaplan of the same. Fig. 3, is a vertical transverse section on line 3 3, Fig. 1. Figs. 4: and 5 represent respectively a detailside-view of the actuating mechanism of the follower and a horizontal section of line 5 5 Fig. 4,b0th figures being drawn on a larger scale, and Fig. 6 is a detail view of the dropkey of the upper lever-socket.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the drawings A represents an upright pillar or spindle which is sore wed into a socket a and rigidly attached thereto by a key a said socket being attached to the center of parallel I-beams A which are supported on strong feet A The beams, socket and feet form the supporting stand of the press.

The press-floor or bed B is attached to the I-beams A, and retained in position on the upright pillar or spindle Aby collars b b which the lower end of the spindle is secured to the socket a, the stationary position of the spindle A. The press-floor B is provided with a circumferential flange B which forms a trough around the press-cylinder or basket 0 and which is provided with an opening and a discharge-spout B in the usual manner.

On the press-floor Bis supported the presscylinder or basket C, which is composed of two semi-circular sections, each being formed of upright staves that are arranged at suitable intervals from each other and of semicircular hoops or bands 0'. The staves are made of oak and are attached by screw-bolts to the hoops or bands 0 which are connected at their ends by means of cramping irons d. This construction facilitates the taking apart of the press-basket and the cleaning of the same. I

In the press-cylinder or basket 0 is arranged a follower D, which is moved up or down by means of a nut E on the upper threaded end of the spindle A, said nut being provided with a shoulder e at its lower part and retained in a cylindical box or casing E having an inwardly projecting top-ring e, said casing being arranged on a top-plate E which is bolted to a transverse top-piece D of the follower D. The top-part of the screw-nut E is provided with a number of holes 6 which are engaged by a drop-pin or key a that passes through an opening in the lever-socket F which turns by its threaded ring-shaped portion on the upper end of the spindle. The drop-key e engages one of the holes 6 in the top of the screw-nut E and produces by the oscillating motion of the lever inserted 'into the socket the turning of the nut so that the follower D to which the screwnut is connected by the box E, is gradually moved in downward direction on the spindle. The oscillating motion of the leverF imparts intermittent rotary motion to the screw-nut E. By the interlocking action of the dropkey 6 with one of the holes 6 in the top-part of the screw-nut, the follower is lowered when the lever is moved in one direction, while'during the return-motion of the lever, the beveled lower end of the drop-key e clears the holes 6 so that the screw-nut E is at rest. When the follower is lowered sufficiently, so

that the greater part of the juice is expressed from the fruit charged into the basket, the lever is removed from the socket F and inserted into a second socket G which is located below the socket F and pivoted to a socket G on the top-plate E of the follower.

To the upper end of the socket G is fulcrumed a pawl g, one end of which is connected by a helical spring g with a project- 'ing lug or hook g attached to the socket G, so that the opposite end of the pawl g is moved into engagement with the teeth of a ratchet-wheel G which is either cast integral with the screw-nutE or attached to the same .in any approved manner. By inserting the actuating lever into the socket G and oscillating the same, the pawl g engages the teeth of the ratchet-wheel G when the lever is moved in one direction, or passes freely over the same during the return motion of the lever. By the successive engagements of the pawl g with the ratchet-wheel G, the latter screws the nut E in downward direction on the spindle A and forces the follower D correspondingly in downward direction, so as to subject thereby the partly-pressed fruit to a still greater pressure and produce thereby the extraction of all or nearly all the juice contained in the fruit from the same.

For raising the follower so as to permit the removal of the pressed-out fruit and the recharging of the basket, the spring of the pawl g is detached from the hook 9 so that the pawl G is kept out of engagement with the teeth of the ratchet-wheel G. The lever is then replaced in the upper socket F and the position of the drop-key e changed, so that the nut E is turned in opposite direction and the follower raised by the oscillating action of the lever until access is given to the basket for charging the same with a new supply of fruit. The juice passes through the interstices of the basket, is collected in the trough surrounding the same and drawn OK to a suitable receptacle through the discharge-opening and spout.

By subjecting the fruit first to a primary pressure of the follower, operated by the oscillating motion of the lever and its direct connection by the drop-key with the screwnut and then to the pressure of the follower, as the same is slowly and intermittently moved in downward direction by the oscillating motion of the lever and the intermediate pawl and ratchet-device, a very eifective pressing action is obtained by which all or nearly all the juice contained in the fruit is expressed in a quick and reliable manner.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- The combination of a supporting standard having a fixed center socket, an upright spindle keyed to said socket, a press-floorattached to the supporting-frame and spindle, a presscylinder or basket supported on the pressfloor, a follower in said basket, a screw-nut applied to the upper threaded end of the stationary spindle, a lever socket connectedhy a drop key with holes in the top-part of the screw-nut, a second lever socket pivoted to the top-plate of the follower, and a pawl and ratchet mechanism connecting the pivotedlever-socket with the screw-nut, thereby subjecting the fruit first to a preliminary pressing and then to a final pressing, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CONRAD WEGMANN.

Witnesses:

PAUL GoEPEL, I-I. OBERMAYER. 

